This + That

Intro

You guys let me first get this out; I have no recipe today. It’s sort of ridiculous how guilty I feel about this BUT I’m still really excited about what I DO have: LINKS!

These are special links. Links to places, products and people that I’ve found, tried and loved so much that I wanted to tell you about them. One of the perks of this crazy job is that I get to try a lot of products that people really want me to tell you about but I don’t talk about them much because I don’t want to seem like a sales person, I don’t want to assume that just because I like you’re going to too or sometimes there’s just not a lot of reason to talk about it. But then there are some things that are just too good that I feel wrong keeping it to myself. There are products out there that need to shared and enjoyed by more than just my little family.

The other part of this, in all honesty, is that I just started a small business. The kind where I hope people buy it, like it and want to tell people about it so my empathy for these companies has grown tremendously and I understand that to them; whatever they are making, is more than just the thing itself, it’s a part of them. The creators of these things (I’ll get to it real soon) are so proud of what they are creating, I consider it an honor and joy to have this space to share them with you all.

So first up let’s talk about Earlywood. Brad first sent me his wooden kitchen tools earlier this summer and I have been using them every day ever since. I’m weak for a good wooden spoon. They are what I collect on my travels and his are especially beautiful (the wood, the deep bowl, the smooth lines!) but what I really really love are the wooden spatulas. Wooden spatulas! The design is so simple, so clean and yet it is one of the most functional and practical tools I have in my kitchen right now.

*A winner has been contacted. Thanks for entering!

Guess what?! Brad wants one of you to have a collection of his incredible products for yourself. He is giving away:

1 Medium Classic Ladle

1 Long Server

1 Mini Ironwood cutting board set

1 Trifecta

1 set of 4 Small Spreaders

Just leave a comment below to enter and then after that be sure to check out his site and Facebook page. I’ll select a winner next Wednesday, October 8.

Next up, Quinn Popcorn. I love popcorn, a lot. But what excited me most about trying this product was the story of how it began. A young mom with a five day old baby boy named Quinn decided that it was time to clean up her popcorn. Mom’s are so awesome. It was a long, complicated process and she delved deep into the scary world of the food industry but what came from it is seriously the most amazing microwave butter popcorn I’ve ever had.

Quinn makes already popped and microwave popcorn in flavors like Kale & Sea Salt, Hickory Smoked Cheddar, Vermont Maple and Sea Salt (the favorite among my littles) and Butter & Sea Salt. The crazy thing is is that it’s actually butter in the mix. Somehow they’ve managed to dry hormone free butter, mix it with salt and then make the world’s most amazing popcorn. You just microwave, sprinkle then shake.

I told them in an email that I’m a little upset that they introduced me to their popcorn because now it’s all I want, everyday.

Okay, this post is getting out of hand. There are so many more to mention. I’ll try a be a bit quicker.

This tea has been helping me get to a healthier place. While I’ve still eaten ice cream everyday for the past week I still think it’s doing a good work. But the thing with Bliss Teas is that they taste great so while there’s all these amazing ingredients in them that are great for you I really just love to drink it because it tastes amazing.

Oh my, I get weak in the knees for wooden utensils and dishes, too. Love those – I had checked out that website before, can’t remember who but someone else with a cooking blog mentioned them. Would adore a set, so keeping my fingers crossed! lol

And just so you’ll know, I love posts that point to other products and foods my favorite bloggers love. So you are good. Do it again sometime!

My husband is a wood spoon fanatic. His parents and grandparents all have beautiful old wooden spoons in their kitchens, and we have a few of our own. He has been known to sand them gently when need be, and oil them when they become dried out. I tease him, but actually think its sweet that he has such a fondness for wooden utensils. They are so lovely perched in a vase next to the stove. It would be so nice to upgrade our discount store wooden utensils for these beautiful, handmade versions.

I absolutely love the Earlywood wooden utensils. No kitchen is complete without a set of wood utensils. Wood speaks of enduring quality. In my opinion, even the simplest wood utensils are world’s better than the plastic, nylon and silicone ones propagating in kitchens everywhere today. To be honest, I don’t totally trust plastic, nylon or silicone coming into contact with the food I prepare and eat. Years ago I heard of how plastic “out-gasses” and if someone is sensitive to chemical fumes it they should avoid it. So many things are wrapped in, stored it, cooked in and even served on plastic nowadays. How on earth can one avoid it?! It’s truly sad. But wood utensils are a good beginning. I say, Right On! I hope they sell like hotcakes – and I would dearly love to win one. Thanks for the opportunity.

My boyfriend has a collection of wooden spatulas that his grandfather made with Arbutus wood from their property, he loves them so much we don’t even use them! They are so beautiful, but it would be wonderful to have a few that were practical as well! Gorgeous post.

I’ve been looking for handmade wooden utensils for a long time now – what wonderful work Brad does at Earlywood! I also just moved to Seattle and am so excited to read about your recommendations – I joke that I moved here from the East Coast for the food, but then I realized it not even really a joke. Congratulations on your new shop too!

I love the wooden utensils made by Earlywood. I just had a baby and noticed that Earlywood makes baby and toddler spoons! I love to cook and would love to win the set of tools being given away so that my baby girl and I can cook together with them 🙂

you should never feel bad when you tell us about these kind of makers and goods. it is a great thing!
I search out bloggers who recommend things for me to try from people and companies I have not heard of.
when I was looking to buy a new chef knife I read a lot of my favorite blogs to find the best small scale producers. for the sharpest workhorse of a chefs knife (that I could afford) it’s a Schmidt brother’s knife and I LOVE it!
it helps the little guys get the word out.
if you were telling us bout Annie’s mac and cheese, well that’s different. they are good but don’t need help getting their product out there.
tell us more about small producers of very cool things that you like.
we, and they, will thank you!
and may I say, how lucky that you get cool free stuff! NO FAIR!:)

Who doesn’t love a link post? Those gorgeous utensils remind me of the interview I recently did with stylist/photographer Kara Rosenlund for The Kitchenet. She has SO MANY wooden spoons, but her favourite was a beautiful old bentwood one.

I love wooden spoons so much. I’m moved by the deep wood as well. I am so excited to see you do a post on Earlywood!! I bought my mom, step mom, and grandma spoons and spatulas for them for xmas 2 years ago. Now whenever I go home I love using them. I must pick up some for myself! They are amazing, and all different sizes. Yay!

I run a Yahoo group foodie email list. We do everything except encourage meals made with canned mushroom soup and corn flakes! We use iSi, we are learning more everyday cooking sous vide, we publish recipes that are tried and true, we recommend and teach others about iSi, sous vide, pressure cooking, BBQ done RIGHT. I came to your website via one of our members on the group: BillsKitchen, and one our moderators.
I would love to review the wood utensils and do a recommendation to our 181 members. Plus I unabashedly would love to work with these lovely kitchen tools.

Oh my, oh my. Those wooden utensils are BEYOND gorgeous. There truly is no better kitchen utensil than one made out of wood, I think. I have been v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y trying to transition from the inexpensive silicone, plastic, and metal utensils that long outlasted the ‘college days’ to items just like Earlywood.

I appreciate your love of a good wooden spoon. They can easily seem to become a part of someone. When my grandma passed away, my uncle and I immediately made sure that no one accidentally donated my grandmother’s favorite wooden spoon and her garlic press. She had at drawers full of spoons but she reached for the same wooden spoon every time. Now my uncle does too.

I collect wooden spoons from travels, too! I’m intrigued by the Earlywood spatulas – they’re so simple and sleek. I’ve added one to my wishlist. Thanks for sharing the things you like! I always appreciate a recommendation.

I love a link roundup when it’s full of products genuinely adored. This set of wooden spoons is a perfect example! I think they make a perfect hostess gift, and I’m always looking for one of those. I’d love to win one, but if I don’t, I might have to splurge and buy a few!

The Earlywood tools look functional and beautiful. I am not sure what the wood is? The spoons remind me of vintage European spoons (I have some small French olive spoons that i love). The spatulas are a super interesting shape and I can see why you like them. They would match my funky antique walnut kitchen table ….it has knots and cracks on the top and the color matches these :-). I think the spatulas would be great for stirring stuff like polenta too, anything that you don’t want to stick..the shape would be good for scraping the bottom of deep pots.

Wow, I just checked out Earlywood FB page and site! They’re made in Red Lodge MT.. I grew up in MT :-). I posted earlier but comment seems to have disappeared. The spoons remind me of vintage French olive spoons I have…gorgeous designs and woods.

amazing craftsmanship! I too love wooden utensils. Most of the time I love cooking, but when I walk into the kitchen, not feeling like making dinner on a crazy-busy weeknight, using good simple utensils makes me feel connected to generations of cooking and makes me feel good about making a meal.

These handmade kitchen tools are absolutely beautiful! As a college student, it would be wonderful to have something quality like this that would last me a very long time. I spend a lot of time cooking in my kitchen and would use these tools often.

Those are GORGEOUS! And absolutely beautiful. Just moved into my first apartment and have been trying to gather all the kitchen essentials one needs to become a great entertainer and cook! I would love to add them in my very first kitchen 🙂

Those spoons look incredible. A wooden spoon has always been an indispensable part of my kitchen, having grown up in a Russian home that treasured ornate wooden utensils a lot more than any other material. Thank you for sharing these!

We don’t have a risotto specific spoon out yet, but I have about 10 other utensils and 5 cutting board designs that I’m going to release as soon as I have the time. Sign up for the Earlywood Newsletter on my site if you want to be the first to know!

Wow!
I just read all 286 comments! Talk about inspiration to keep going with Earlywood and keep making utensils that will be passed on from generation to generation. To think that an Earlywood utensil could be used for 50 years, then be one of the most important items passed on from one generation to the next makes me proud to be doing what I’m doing. Thank you for all the great comments and I wish you could all win!

Hi Ashley, I love your honesty in this post – thank you for being truthful and open and sharing what you love and why. Those wooden spoons would find a beautiful and cosy home in my tiny 2-square meter kitchen (i can already imagine them being friends with my other cutlery). And that popcorn sounds too good! Movie night at home? Definitely!

Just ordered the Trifecta from Earlywood. We bought a get-away place out near Joshua Tree, and are trying our best to stock the kitchen entirely with American Made products. It’s amazing how much is out there if you look! Thanks mucho for bringing these handmade beauties to our attention!!

I absolutely love the wooden kitchen tools you’ve featured above – they are very sleek and would make incredible host/hostess gifts. This was such a great post, I need to get my hands on that popcorn! Love your site, keep up the awesome work.

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